Geo Answer — Chile

We’re headed for the southern hemisphere for today’s Geo Quiz. For some, Columbus Day is a day off from work or school.

It’s a day to watch college football or go shopping.

And of course, it’s the day that commemorates Columbus’ landing on a island that’s now part of the Bahamas. But many view Columbus Day as a time to recognize indigenous people – the original Americans. That includes the Mapuche.

Lonco mapuche Lloncon, ca. 1890Lonco mapuche Lloncon, ca. 1890

They’re an indigenous people in South America who fought for centuries to protect their territory. That territory lies between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean.

And on Columbus Day, many Mapuche parade in traditional dress to celebrate THEIR history, not Columbus’.

So we want you to name the countries where these indigenous people still live…

For our geo quiz we were searching for the countries where you’d find the Mapuche.

They’re an indigenous people of southern Chile and Argentina, so Chile and Argentina are the answer we’re looking for.

The Mapuche live in a region between the Andes and the Pacific coast.

Mapuche mapMapuche map

But some of them traveled a few hundred miles north this weekend to demonstrate on the streets of Santiago.

They were protesting the celebration of Columbus Day as The World’s David Leveille explains: